Cleremond's dedicated character page, My character ideas. What do ya think? |
Cleremond's dedicated character page, My character ideas. What do ya think? |
Jun 30 2006, 06:38 PM
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#1
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Target Group: Members Posts: 77 Joined: 30-June 06 Member No.: 8,813 |
Hey chummers....I'm new on the boards so I wanted to start my first post regarding some character ideas I've been tossing around with regard to the new ruleset (4th edition). So far, I really dig the Build Point system. Its very open ended and I can pretty much make any character i can think of. I'll be posting my character ideas here, so please check them out and let me know what you think. Even though I've been a fan of shadowrun for a long time, I've only really played the 1st edition rules back in the day with any real regularity. Given that I'm so new to the 4th ed. rules, my math is prolly off and I may not have followed every rule as I'm still not completely familar with them all yet. If I've made mistakes, please be constructive.
Ok....on to my characters....enjoy! Name: Nick "Heist" Harrison (450BP) Archetype: Custom (Physical Entry Specialist) Metatype: Human (0BP) Age: 42 Gender: Male Nuyen: ¥ Phys. Cond. Mon: 8+1/2 body =10 Boxes Stun Cond. Mon: 8+1/2 willpower = 9 Boxes Total Karma: 0 Current Karma: 0 PHYS. ATTRIB. (90BP) Body: 4 (30BP) Agility: 4 (30BP) Reaction: 3 (20BP) Strength: 2 (10BP) MENTAL ATTRIB. (110BP) Charisma: 5 (40BP) Intuition: 5 (40BP) Logic: 3 (20BP) Willpower: 2 (10BP) SPEC. ATTRIB. Edge: 2 (0BP) Current Edge Points: 2 Essence: 6 Initiative: POSITIVE QUALITES (15BP) First Impression (5BP) - +2 dice for Social Tests at the first meeting. Home Ground (10BP) - +2 dice for Active skill, +4 dice for Knowledge for home ground. NEGATIVE QUALITES (+35BP) Addiction - Nicotine (MILD - +5BP) Addiction - Alcohol (MILD - +5BP) Allergy - Lactose Intolerant (Uncommon/Mild - +5BP) Allergy - Penicillin based antibiotics (Uncommon/Severe - +10BP) SINer - Has a Standard SIN on File with Criminal Record: Grand Larceny (+10BP) ACTIVE SKILLS (158BP) (Agility) Combat: Pistols 4/+2 (Heavy Pistols) (Agility) Combat: Automatics 2 (Agility) Technical: Locksmith 5/+2 (Safe Cracking) (Reaction) Combat: Dodge 2 (Reaction) Vehicle: Pilot Ground Craft 2/+2 (Car) (Charisma) Influence Skill Group 4 (Intuition) Physical: Disguise 2 (Intuition) Physical: Infiltration 4 (Logic) Electronics Skill Group 1 (Logic) Technical: Demolitions 3 KNOWLEDGE SKILLS (36BP) (Intuition) Knowledge: Security Systems 3/+2 (Manufactures and Products) (Intuition) Knowledge: Street 2/+2 (Seattle Club Scene) (Intuition) Knowledge: Street 2/+2 (Safe Houses) (Logic) Knowledge: Engineering 2/+2 (Metallurgy) (Logic) Knowledge: Business 1/+2 (Automotive Sales) LANGUAGE SKILLS English N Amerind (Sioux) 2 Sperethial 1 GEAR & LIFESTYLE (¥250,000) (50BP) Fake SIN (Rating 6 - ¥6,000) 2 Fake SIN’s (Rating 2 - ¥4,000) Remaining Gear Purchases Pending VEHICLES: Purchases Pending CONTACTS (50BP) Machinist - Michael "Micky D" D'Angelo (Loyalty 2, Rating 4) Fixer - "Shrike" (Loyalty 1, Rating 4) Rigger - Johnny "Torque" Truman (Loyalty 2, Rating 2) Hacker - Sara "Stripe" Cross (Loyalty 2, Rating 4) Lone Star Detective - Lt. Dwayne Dixon (Loyalty 2, Rating 2) Lawyer (Corporate Mage) – Jennifer Lane (Loyalty 2, Rating 3) Street Shaman– Jake “The Snake” Michaels (Currently incarcerated. Loyalty 3, Rating 3) Club Owner – Kyle Dulles (Loyalty 2, Rating 2) Street Doc – Laura Bryant (Loyalty 2, Rating 2) Armorer – “Big Tony” (Loyalty 1, Rating 5) BACKGROUND Nick Harrison was your typical young gun running the shadows of Seattle in 2050 under the handle “Tumbler”. A gifted locksmith, Nick always had a natural affinity for getting into places he probably shouldn’t, especially cracking safes and other secure areas. His technical skills, along with his natural charm and rugged good looks, made making friends in the shadows easy and he was soon operating with a team of mid range runners as their “inside point man”. In 2055, during a run on Renraku suit’s art gallery, things went from bad to worse. Alarms were sounded and Nick was left to his own devices while the other runners on his team cut bait and ran. Deserted and left holding the bag, Nick was captured by Lone Star law enforcement and was found guilty of Grand Larceny and sentenced to 25 years in prison at the tender age of 27. While on the inside, Nick used his time wisely building a network of contacts on the outside through his contacts on the inside. He spent a good bit of time reading engineering journals, picked up a smattering of Sioux and Sperethial from various inmates, and even earned an Associates Degree in Business through the correctional facility’s “From Bars to Bachelors” program. Through good behavior, he was summarily released on parole after only having served 8 of his 25 year sentence. Nick went legit, at least for as long as any shadowrunner with a criminal record can. Long enough to start a used car business and establish a decent reputation as the local place to get a good deal. But, the lure of the shadows was too great, and his reputation as a Physical Penetration Expert led to several offers from various Mr. Johnson’s seeking a runner with his skills. For the last 7 years, Nick has led a double life. By day, he’s Nick Harrison of Harrison’s Eurocar Emporium, by night, under the street handle “Heist”, he’s returned to the life of the shadows. His parole officer, Lone Star Lt. Dwayne Dixon, suspects that Nick has fallen off the wagon as far as the shadows go, but so far has no solid evidence, and due to the mutual respect and friendship the two have developed over the years, is becoming less inclined to begin any kind of in depth investigation into Nick’s personal affairs. Heist is of average height and weight, but has a rugged natural charisma and sharp wit that’s undeniable. Articulate but not snobbish, intellectual but not condescending. He is approachable and accommodating, but when push comes to shove, and words can no longer diffuse the situation, he’s cold, tactical, and methodical. Heist has learned over the years that the best laid plans are the first thing that fly out the window when the drek hits the street, so he prides himself on being able to adapt when a run goes south. He relies on his extensive list of contacts to get him the things he needs, takes his rep very serious, and will be hard pressed to do anything that might damage relationships with his contacts or reflect negatively on his street cred. NOTE: Due to Heist’s extensive background in the shadows and from his time in prison, his character build is based on 450 Build Points, reflecting his 20 years of experience. QUOTES: Micky D (flabbergasted) - "You want me to build you WHAT!!??" Heist - "Yep. You scanned me right. Oh, and I need you to boost the HHO output on that welding rig I brought in last week, its runnin’ a bit lean." Micky D - "But....." Heist - "Oh, I think there might be a small leak in Westwind’s water fuel cell so you need to look at that." Micky D - "But....." Heist - "Oh, and you might wanna look into picking up some more tungsten rods." Micky D - "But....!" Heist - "Oh, and I'm gonna need it all done by tomorrow." Micky D - "But Heist.....?!" Heist - "Oh, and....(grinning) who love's ya Mick?" Micky D (angry) - "Fraggit all Heist! (under his breath) You ain't payin' enough for me to be that good of a chummer. (grumbles)" Lt. Dixon (glaring) - "You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that supposed Novatech Scientist Extraction that happened last week……would ya?" Heist (innocently lighting a cigarette) - "Now, Dwayne. I already did my time. You know that. I know that. I'm just a law-abiding used car salesman now. No adventure. No excitement. I pay my taxes. I take care of my customers. I keep my nose clean. Ask anyone here and they'll say the same." Heist (grimly) - "Getting in won't be an issue. Getting out without gettin' my hoop fragged, that's a whole ‘nother story." Torque (confident) - "Leave that to me." Heist (grimmacing) - "Yeah, that's what you said last time Johnny." Shrike – “I’ll give you……say….two fifty.” Heist – “Bulldrek two fifty. Four.” Shrike – “FOUR?!?! That’s outrageous! …….Done.” Heist – “Always a pleasure doin’ biz with ya Shrike.” |
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Jun 30 2006, 06:48 PM
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#2
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,579 Joined: 30-May 06 From: SoCal Member No.: 8,626 |
Only 1 big problem thus far... you can't have a rating 6 Fake SIN at chargen. After errata the highest rating you can get is a 4 (3 x rtg = avail) because you cannot get anything greater than avail 12.
Also his edge seems a bit on the weak side at only 2. Aside from all that I like the character. :) <edit> ran some more numbers, you only used up 152 on active skills unless my math is wrong, your character is also either 438 or 432 BPs. And remember that you get free knowledge skills = to your (logic + int) x 3 and that you spend your knowledge points on a 1 for 1 basis (so a knowledge rtg 4 is only 4 points) |
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Jun 30 2006, 06:58 PM
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Target Group: Members Posts: 77 Joined: 30-June 06 Member No.: 8,813 |
Cool....thanks man. Yeah, haven't checked any errata yet. Just got the rules a couple days ago, so I'm still learning the system. Prolly why his Edge is so low. I forgot to spend points on it. |
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Jun 30 2006, 07:00 PM
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#4
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Target Group: Members Posts: 77 Joined: 30-June 06 Member No.: 8,813 |
Yeah, I actually used the 4th edition character BP helper at http://www.imasy.or.jp/~miyamoto/rpg/javas...nHelperV10.html to do the numbers. I think that page doesn't quite calculate things as accurately as it should. I can't wait till someone codes a solid character generator, as doing it manually is nearly a 3 hour process. |
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Jun 30 2006, 07:58 PM
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#5
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Shooting Target Group: Members Posts: 1,711 Joined: 15-June 06 Member No.: 8,716 |
So the dude cant fight melee at all??? dodge 2 is pretty low also. I'd say he woulda picked up some combat skills in the prison unless he likes dropping soap..
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Jun 30 2006, 08:05 PM
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Ain Soph Aur Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 3,477 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Montreal, Canada Member No.: 600 |
For a first character, this is really good!
My comments: Addiction - Nicotine (MILD - +5BP): Can't do that. Has to be a susbtance that is immediatly detrimental to you. Getting cancer 20 years down the road doesn't count. Allergy - Lactose Intolerant (Uncommon/Mild - +5BP): Unless you and your GM consider that real milk is very rare, having been replaced by soymilk (which is a perfectly valid assumption), I would switch that to Common. But either way can work. Allergy - Penicillin based antibiotics (Uncommon/Severe - +10BP): Here it's safe to assume these don't really exist in 2070, so that's a good one. Most safes, like all things in 2070, have electronic locks on them rather than mechanical ones. Unless you have a specific understanding with your GM that your character specialises in taking jobs that include old-school safes (which would be cool), you might want to boost your electronics skills. |
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Jun 30 2006, 08:14 PM
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#7
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 393 Joined: 20-June 06 Member No.: 8,754 |
Why no cyber? You're going to have a tough time without it, especially with an edge that low. You should at least get wired 2. I'd also raise your reaction - it's a very important stat when the bullets start to fly (wired 2 would raise reaction too). Since you have so much money in unspent gear, this shouldn't be a problem. By the way, I'd spend less of those BP on gear and raise your edge and reaction a point.
You have an awesome background, but is the rest of the group starting at 450 BP? 20 years of experience is all well and good, but it wouldn't cut it as an excuse for more BP if I were your GM. If everyone else in the group is not starting with 450 BP, you can still make the character concept fit into 400 BP by saying his skills are a little rusty after being in prison for so long. The last thing I'd question is your skill in lockpicking. In my campaign, conventional locks are generally only used for cheap appartment doors. Everything else, and especially safes, is electronic (maglocks); even in the 2050s before your character was arrested. Check with your GM on this, because if his game is like mine, you'll want to ditch locksmithing and raise your electronics. |
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Jun 30 2006, 08:18 PM
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#8
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 393 Joined: 20-June 06 Member No.: 8,754 |
It gets better when you learn the system. I can make decent characters in 10 minutes, but when I first started it took me several hours also. |
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Jun 30 2006, 08:40 PM
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#9
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Target Group: Members Posts: 77 Joined: 30-June 06 Member No.: 8,813 |
He can fight melee. He has an agility of 4. He just doesn't fight hand to hand very well (i.e. no extra dice). He's not a brawler at all. He's designed as a face man or thief. Face men and thieves don't typically stand toe to toe with that troll Street Samurai and duke it out fisticuff style. Heist is the kinda guy who'd talk that dim witted Ork Go Ganger at the Prenumbra, who just so happens to be in the mood to establish pecking order with someone, into buying him a beer. It should be assumed that runners like Heist, when on a run, very rarely roll solo. Ork Go Ganger (Obviously looking for a fight) - "Fraggin' breeder. I fraggin' hate breeders and nothing's more wiz to me than bootin' the hoop of a breeder!" Heist (calmly) - "Really......, should I be affraid? Tiny? Why don't explain to our new ork chummer here why I'm not afraid." "Tiny", the 9' 3" Troll Street Samurai (Body 10, Strength 10, Agility5 (augmented to 7)) stands up from a nearby oversized booth and cracks his knuckles manacingly. Tiny - "You gotta a problem, chummer?" Ork Go Ganger - "Um....no. I....I.... Tiny - "Well.......now you do." All drek breaks loose. If my math is off and there is extra points to spend, I'll might bump up his HtH, dodge, or his Edge a bit, but I think he's pretty much good to go as is for what he's specialized to do. |
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Jun 30 2006, 09:00 PM
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#10
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Target Group: Members Posts: 77 Joined: 30-June 06 Member No.: 8,813 |
Ahh....nicotine.....didn't realize I couldn't use that. (makes mental note for the future) I figured lactose intolerance would be not just milk, but I consider it applies to dairy products of all kinds (cheese, milks, ice creams, etc.). I didn't want to make it common as that would be, IMHO, unecessarily adding BP's. I mean, I guess I could make it "common" and get the extra points. *shrug* I'm not that big of a min/maxer I guess. As far as the safecracking specialization goes, I look at that as not only defeating the safe's locking mechanism, whether it be electronic or mechanical, but knowing, from an engineering standpoint how to physically penetrate the container, through the use of controlled explosives (this maybe related to demolitions, but he also has some points in that skill as well), cutting/drilling rigs, etc. without damaging the contents. His base skill in lockpicking should cover his knowledge of maglocks, etc. I might have to re-read the skill system, cause I might be reading to much into it....but that's my idea on it. Thanks for the cool suggestions though. :) |
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Jun 30 2006, 09:26 PM
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Target Group: Members Posts: 77 Joined: 30-June 06 Member No.: 8,813 |
I totally hear ya... Basically....I just haven't spent his BP nuyen yet. I'm still catching up on all the gear stuff, ratings, and how all of that interfaces together. I am planning on getting him some cyberware....but, he's going to be pretty light on it and much more of a "gear" dependent character. His personality is one that's more tuned to the mundane things and after all his cash is spent, his essence rating should still be pretty high. I'm not too interested in min/maxing him down to .03 Essence. It doesn't fit him and he's very much designed for roleplaying and not rollplaying. I actually don't have a gaming group right now. I'm just messing around with the rules for my own enjoyment and figured I'd share my ideas with the cool folks on this forum. None of the other character I've made start with 450BP, they are all 400BP characters. Yeah, I could prolly reduce him to a 400BP without loosing the core concept of the character. If I read the lockpicking skill correctly, maglocks ARE listed as a specialization for that skill, which leads me to believe that maglocks CAN be opened by using the lockpicking skill and don't necessarily require alot of hacking skill to bypass. Deckers/Hackers/Technomancers are useless when it comes to physical locks. All the Hacking skills in the world won't get you into a good old fashioned lock and tumbler safe. That's where Heist excells. Your point actually makes for a good hook for his character....technology is passing him by as his life enters his later years. How does he cope with that? A very good roleplaying hook. Thanks for your suggestions. Its appreciated. :) |
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Jun 30 2006, 09:33 PM
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#12
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Ain Soph Aur Group: Dumpshocked Posts: 3,477 Joined: 26-February 02 From: Montreal, Canada Member No.: 600 |
Yes, you might want to reread the skill section ;) |
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Jun 30 2006, 10:07 PM
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 393 Joined: 20-June 06 Member No.: 8,754 |
Without cyber or magic to give you more IPs, I HIGHLY recommend an edge of 5 or 6. You're going to have a tough time surviving combat without more IPs and higher stats, and edge can buy IPs since you don't want cyber to do it. You might also consider the drugs on page 249 that give IPs (cram and jazz). Maybe you can substitute your adiction to nicotine with an adiction to cram or jazz. It's hard to roleplay with a dead character, and rollplaying and roleplaying aren't mutually exclusive.
Maglocks are a specialization of hardware, not lockpicking. Take a look at page 255 for more on cracking maglocks - they're all about the hardware skill and logic. Lockpicking isn't mentioned once.
Autopickers give 6 dice + agility (page 327). A sammie with good agility excells at picking old fasioned locks. That's why they don't exist anywhere important in my campaign.
I'm sorry, but that wasn't the point I was trying to make. My point was that even a 42 year old would have no reason to be a good mechanical locksmith, because even in the 2050s, mechanical locks were 50 years out of date. |
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Jun 30 2006, 10:26 PM
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,579 Joined: 30-May 06 From: SoCal Member No.: 8,626 |
Autopickers aren't going to crack a safe. Plain and simple.
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Jun 30 2006, 10:30 PM
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 834 Joined: 30-June 03 Member No.: 4,832 |
Nice character, I would agree that he definately would need some skill in Hardware.
I'm not certain, but I believe that specializations for pistols is Semi-Auto or Revolver. I don't recall them breaking it down by type holdout/regular/heavy. |
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Jun 30 2006, 10:40 PM
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 142 Joined: 29-October 05 From: Arlington, TX Member No.: 7,909 |
The proper term is Safe Manipulation, not Safe Cracking.
An Autopicker would not help, but I'd rule anything that increases ones sense of tactile perception would. Despite the movies, a stethescope isn't of much use either. The problem with safe manipulation isn't just finding the gates, but avoiding the false gates, which also make sounds. Enhanced hearing may or may not help in this case, but usually at lower skill levels it hurts more than it helps. Also, even modern day locksmiths have a decent hand in hardware skills due to the fact that they install magnetic and electronic locks even these days. Anyone here work at a place where you have to swipe a badge, or get a badge within a certain distance of a rfid reader? So, I'd up the Hardware at least two points. Locksmith is fine as is. In fact, safe manipulation is considered a specialized discipline within the locksmithing world. As for the guns, you may want to drop autos in exchange for increasing other skills. The Pistols and the Spec in heavy will give you enough guns to play with for now. The Slivergun would probably be a perfect fit if you feel the need to use a heavy with some speed, but I like the Sukura Fubuki for that as well. However, if you are going for that old gangster feel, keeping autos might be fun. |
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Jun 30 2006, 10:45 PM
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 142 Joined: 29-October 05 From: Arlington, TX Member No.: 7,909 |
Hear that? That's the sound of all the Megas switching back to Medeco and ASSA Abloy. After all, if a Shadowrunner has no reason to know how to bypass one... In actuallity, there will always be people who prefer mechanical over electronic. Small corps may decide they are an inexpensive alternative, especially with the lack of shadow runners who specialize in them. Edit: Did I mention I am a certified locksmith? |
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Jun 30 2006, 11:10 PM
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#18
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Runner Group: Members Posts: 2,579 Joined: 30-May 06 From: SoCal Member No.: 8,626 |
In a world where everything is wireless the only thing truly safe is that which is not mechanical at all. It's so niche that its unlikely anyone will ever break into it. <edit> I meant electronic, not mechanical, because the mechanism is mechanical. |
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Jun 30 2006, 11:15 PM
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Target Group: Members Posts: 77 Joined: 30-June 06 Member No.: 8,813 |
Very cool suggestions....and yer absolutely right....I just checked the skill descriptions again. Maglocks are "hardware" dependant, not "locksmith"....my bad. I was totally looking at the "hardware" skill when I thought i was looking at "locksmith". It was late last night when I made this character and those skills are on the same page. *shrug* As I said...I'm still learning. And with regard to IP's yer assuredly correct there. I still haven't even read the combat sections fully either, so I'm quite sure there's ways to min/max so that you have the greatest possible survivability that I haven't clued into yet. Back to the safecracking thing...... In campaigns I've played.....physical locks, while not as proliferate as electronic ones, were/are still used. Sorry I missed yer point.....so noted. As I stated in another post above....Locksmith, IMHO, doesn't just deal with "unlocking" a lock, it deals with knowledge of the physical construction of the mechanism. Just because a lock is electronic doesn't mean it can only be circumvented by electronic means. In the case of electronically controlled safes......they can still be penetrated by Non-electronic methods. Ever seen the movie "Thief" with James Caan? There ya go. Ever seen the movie "Die Hard"? There ya go. Both perfect examples of a physical penetrations. Granted, the safe in "Die Hard" also required a power outage to disrupt the magnetic seals which could have been avoided if they would have had the codes to begin with. But if your hacker can't get the codes....who ya gonna call? Anyway....you present valid points. Thanks. |
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Jun 30 2006, 11:24 PM
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#20
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 984 Joined: 15-June 06 Member No.: 8,717 |
Yeah, your description is thorough and interesting but there are a few holes. Some have already been mentioned.
Hardware skill will enable you to pick maglocks as well as 'old school' locks making your character more of an asset. His skill in lockpicking is good but doesn't surpass that of the autopicker. Being a more versatile "Physical Entry Specialist" will ensure he'll be useful as well as interesting. Don't think of the Hardware skill as 'hacking' the lock. To bypass a maglock you have to physically rewire the thing. This doesn't take him out of that "where hackers cannot" niche. Also, if you intend to weld/drill your way through a vault or safe you'll need the Industrial Mechanic skill to handle the equipment. At least that's the way we've handled it in our game. Consider buying Linguasofts when choosing your gear. If Heist ever has to break into a place incognito then he better be able to speak the part. That requires a Simmodule for your Commlink, BTW. Specializations for vehicles are a little more broad than "Car". The examples in the book say "wheeled" or "hover". It's not a huge deal but it's something to look back over (along with the rest of the specializations. Maglocks are not a Locksmithing spec.) KNowledge skills are handles differently than you've done them in your first post. I don't know if anyone has clarified how to handle that yet so I'll try to be specific (and correct!): You get (Intuition 5 + Logic 3)*3 = 24 FREE knowledge skill RANKS. That's a 1 free point per one knowledge skill rank during CharGen. Specialization cost 1 BP and you can always buy more knowledge ranks for extra 2 BP per rank. You can't buy more than 24 more ranks, though. Heavy pistols are pretty bulky and harder to conceal. Plus they draw more attention in high security areas that you'll likely go to. In game terms Heavy pistols have a concealablity of 0. You can always try and use the Palming skill to try and hide your Heavy pistol but as of right now you're defaulting on Palming. Getting a concealable holster and silencer will help. Physical infiltration will benefit quite a bit from a Chameoleon suit :D Subvocal Microphones or Micro-transcievers will enable you to keep in touch with comrades if you need more time to manipulate that safe or backup when a security guard walks in. A tag Eraser as most of the stuff I would put in a safe would have tracing RFID's on them in case they do get nabbed. An often over looked skill is the Perception skill. Maybe it's just me, but , as a GM, I call for Perception checks or roll scret one's quite often. Gear that gives you bonuses to hearing can help you manipulate safes or hear guards coming to ruin your fun. The B&E gear on Page 326 are all pretty important to Heist, IMO. make sure to go through that with a fine tooth comb. Ultrasound may be able to give you a better look at the innerworkings of that safe, but I'm not an expert so I wouldn't know for sure. GM approval needed... Having a cyberhand with cooll gadgets meant for picking locks may be a cool addition, just throwing that out there. Smuggling compartments maybe the best way to get [stolen item] out of the place without being noticed. You can still try and give your character an edge (the EDGE attribute couldn't hurt) without min/maxing, you know. having implant that compentsate for something Heist isn't naturally good at is resonable. IP's are helpful if you plan on participating in combat against Jazz amped Lonestar or Crammed thugs. Those very same drugs aren't really appropriate for a safe manipulator that may have to talk his way out a sticky situation. Wired 1 or Synaptic 1 could save your hoop though. I'm sure Heist wants to stay out of jail, IP's can help. Also, nothing it better for adapting to a situation that's gone south like bullet time-like slow of your enviroment. Having a grappling gun and some climbing gear/skill couldn't hurt either in case his new team decides to ditch him. For that matter Running and Swimming might help in the same way. Especially running. There's always a lot of running in heist movies. Having a criminal SIN makes living hard. How did Heist manage to start a business with such a rep? Did he get help from a contact? Maybe the local crime ring helped him out and is now keeping tabs on him? One of his contacts maybe? Hope that's helpful :D |
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Jun 30 2006, 11:50 PM
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#21
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 142 Joined: 29-October 05 From: Arlington, TX Member No.: 7,909 |
I am not wholly familiar with how well ultrasound works. If it can penetrate steel, then yes. However, in actuality, mage goggles would help if you drill a hole into a safe. As for Locksmithing meaning you know how a lock is put together, that is correct. But again, electronic locks are not normal mechanical locks. There are not really very many good ways to bypass them without brute force and destruction, save for a loss of electricity Edit: or an electronic bypass (Except there are certain EAC systems that lock tight as a bell when no current goes through them. They only open when current does go through them. Which is what corps tend to use, save for emergency exits in the case of fires. In that case, they still tend to use mechanical doors, with NO outside access) Trust me, you need hardware. I think Industrial mechanic would be needed for welding, etc, but not for drilling. Locksmithing teaches you the proper locations for drilling a safe, and a drill is a common tool. |
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Jun 30 2006, 11:51 PM
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#22
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Target Group: Members Posts: 77 Joined: 30-June 06 Member No.: 8,813 |
Samaels Ghost - Wow man....thanks for all of that! That helps ALOT.
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Jul 1 2006, 01:17 AM
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#23
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Moving Target Group: Members Posts: 984 Joined: 15-June 06 Member No.: 8,717 |
I would like to see a rivised version of Heist out of interest and curiousity.
Also, i must admit I'd like to see how helpful everyone has been in refining your character. Including my suggestions :P |
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Jul 1 2006, 03:09 PM
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#24
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Target Group: Members Posts: 77 Joined: 30-June 06 Member No.: 8,813 |
Ok, based on some suggestions given above, I've rebuilt Heist. He's got fewer contacts, a different addiction that makes a little more sense, and I've re-written his background a little to be a bit more specific regarding his auto dealership (which he doesn't really own, he just runs it) and his criminal SIN. I also purchased his gear. Once again....check my math....I might have missed some stuff. Hope this is a bit better.
Name: Nick "Heist" Harrison (450BP) Archetype: Custom (Physical Entry Specialist) Metatype: Human (0BP) Age: 42 Gender: Male Nuyen: ¥3,600 Phys. Cond. Mon: 8+1/2 body = 9 Boxes Stun Cond. Mon: 8+1/2 willpower = 9 Boxes Total Karma: 0 Current Karma: 0 PHYS. ATTRIB. (80BP) Body: 2 (10BP) Agility: 4 (30BP) Reaction: 4(5) (30BP) Strength: 2 (10BP) MENTAL ATTRIB. (100BP) Charisma: 5 (40BP) Intuition: 3 (20BP) Logic: 4 (30BP) Willpower: 2 (10BP) SPEC. ATTRIB. Edge: 5 (30BP) Current Edge Points: 5 Essence: 3.4 Initiative: 7( 8 ) +1IP POSITIVE QUALITES (15BP) First Impression (5BP) - +2 dice for Social Tests at the first meeting. Home Ground (10BP) - +2 dice for Active skill, +4 dice for Knowledge for home ground. NEGATIVE QUALITES (+40BP) Addiction - Longhaul (MILD - +5BP) Addiction - Alcohol (MILD - +5BP) Allergy - Lactose Intolerant (Common/Mild - +10BP) Allergy - Penicillin based antibiotics (Uncommon/Severe - +10BP) SINer - Has a Standard SIN on File with Criminal Record (+10BP) ACTIVE SKILLS (212BP) (Agility) Combat: Unarmed Combat 2 (Agility) Combat: Pistols 4 (Agility) Technical: Locksmith 5/+2 (Safe Manipulation) (Reaction) Combat: Dodge 4 (Reaction) Vehicle: Pilot Ground Craft 2/+2 (Wheeled) (Charisma) Influence Skill Group 4 (Intuition) Physical: Disguise 2 (Intuition) Physical: Infiltration 4 (intuition) Physical: Perception 4 (Logic) Technical: Hardware 5 (Logic) Technical: Demolitions 3 (Logic) Technical: Industrial Mechanic 2/+2 (Welding) KNOWLEDGE SKILLS (24BP) (Intuition) Street Knowledge: Seattle Areas of Interest 2/+2 (Safe Houses) (Logic) Academic Knowledge: Metallurgy 2 (Logic) Professional Knowledge: Security Systems 4 (Logic) Professional Knowledge: Business 3 LANGUAGE SKILLS English N Sioux 1 Sperethial 1 GEAR & LIFESTYLE (¥100,000) (20BP) Cyberware: Datajack (E0.1) Cybereyes Basic System (E0.3, R2) w/Image Link, Eye Recording Unit, Flare Compensation, Low Light, Thermographics Cyberears Basic System (E0.2, R1) w/Sound link, Ear Recording Unit, Spacial Recognizer, Damper Wired Reflexes 1 (E2) Doc Wagon Contract: Basic Middle Lifestyle (1 month prepaid) Low Lifestyle (1 month prepaid - Puyallup Safehouse) 4 certified credsticks Fake SIN (Rating 4) Fake SIN (Rating 2) Ares Predator IV w/intergral martgun link Four (4) 15-round Clips Ares Viper Slivergun w/internal smartgun link Four (4) 30-round Clips Concealable holster (x2) Fake Liscense for Ares Predator (Rating 4) Fake Liscense for Ares Viper Slivergun (Rating 4) 200 gel rounds 200 standard rounds 200 flechette rounds Five flash bangs Two smoke grenades Armored Jacket (Regular street wear) Lined Coat (Used when concealing) Clothing (Various Streetware) Clothing (Various Businessware) Glasses w/ultrasound modification Chameleon Suit w/Thermal Dampening (rating 6) Hermes Ikon Commlink w/Novatech Navi OS AR Gloves Sim Module (rating 3) Micro Tranceiver w/earbud (rating 6) Linguasofts: Japanese 4 French 4 Italian 4 Autopicker (rating 5) Keycard Copier (rating 5) Lockpick set ¥300 Maglock Passkey (rating 4) Miniwelder kit ¥250 Maglock Sequencer (rating 6) Cellular Glove Molder (rating 3) Wire clippers Tag eraser Climbing Gear Rappeling Gloves Grapple gun Microwire rope 200m Industrial Mechanic shop VEHICLES: Honda Spirit Subcompact CONTACTS (26BP) Machinist - Michael "Micky D" D'Angelo (Loyalty 2, Rating 4) Fixer - "Shrike" (Loyalty 1, Rating 4) Hacker - Sara "Stripe" Cross (Loyalty 1, Rating 3) Lone Star Detective - Lt. Dwayne Dixon (Loyalty 2, Rating 1) Mafia Boss – "Big Tony" (Loyalty 1, Rating 5) Street Shaman– Jake “The Snake” Michaels (Currently incarcerated. Loyalty 1, Rating 1) BACKGROUND Nick Harrison was your typical young gun running the shadows of Seattle in 2050 under the handle “Tumbler”. A gifted locksmith, Nick always had a natural affinity for getting into places he probably shouldn’t, especially cracking safes and other secure areas. His technical skills, along with his natural charm and rugged good looks, made making friends in the shadows easy and he was soon operating with a team of mid range runners as their “inside point man”. In 2055, during a run on Renraku suit’s art gallery, things went from bad to worse. Alarms were sounded and Nick was left to his own devices while the other runners on his team cut bait and ran. Deserted and left holding the bag, Nick was captured by Lone Star law enforcement and was found guilty of Grand Larceny and sentenced to 25 years in prison at the tender age of 27. While on the inside, Nick used his time wisely building a network of contacts on the outside through his contacts on the inside. He spent a good bit of time reading engineering journals, picked up a smattering of Sioux and Sperethial from various inmates, and even earned an Associates Degree in Business through the correctional facility’s “From Bars to Bachelors” program. Just prior to the Matrix Crash of '64, through his good behavior, he was summarily released from prison after only having served 8 of his 25 year sentence. Two months after walking, the Matrix crashed. His SIN and personal records lost in the crash, Nick was presented with a golden opportunity to "disappear". Instead Nick decided to take advantage of the Salish-Shidhe Council's "SIN Amnesty Program" maybe in hopes of starting a new and legal life for himself. During his reapplication, a Seattle Distrtict Court Judge, impressed by the convict's personable nature, found Nick's honesty regarding his status as a prior felon above board saying that, "Very few criminals would come forward in times such as these to set the record straight regarding their checkered pasts. I applaud you." His criminal record was downgraded to misdemeoner charges with time served under the stipulation that Nick remain on a 10-year probation program to ensure he stayed on the straight and narrow. Nick went legit, at least for as long as any ex-shadowrunner can. Long enough to start a used car business, funded by a local Mafia Boss. After a time, he managed to establish a decent reputation as "THE" place to get a good car deal. But, the ensnaring grip of the shadows was too great escape. "Big Tony" eventually called in a marker, and it was time to pony up. After a few small successful runs, Nick's street cred began to build again and he was soon getting regular offers from Mr. Johnsons, who had become very interested in his rep and skill set. For the last 3 years, Nick has led a double life. By day, he’s Nick Harrison of Harrison’s Eurocar Emporium, by night, under the street handle “Heist”, he’s returned to the life of the shadows. His probation case officer, Lone Star Lt. Dwayne Dixon, suspects that Nick has fallen off the wagon as far as the shadows go, but so far has no solid evidence, and due to the mutual respect and friendship the two have developed over the years, is becoming less inclined to begin any kind of in depth investigation into Nick’s personal affairs. Heist's long days at the dealership run into long nights spent in the shadows of the Seattle Sprawl. To make it work, Heist has turned to "Longhaul" chased with healthy doses of beer (an interesting mix) as his drugs of choice. His mild addictions to them are becoming more and more noticable as of late. He often wonders if it would be better to check himself into rehab to ween himself from their grasp, but always decides that he's still in control of things. Heist stands of average height and weight, but has a rugged natural charisma and sharp, alert wit that’s undeniable. Articulate but not snobbish, intellectual but not condescending. He is approachable and accommodating, but when push comes to shove, and words can no longer diffuse the situation, he’s cold, tactical, and methodical. Heist has learned over the years that the best laid plans are the first thing that fly out the window when the drek hits the street, so he prides himself on being able to adapt when a run goes south. He relies on his extensive list of contacts to get him the things he needs, takes his rep very serious, and will be hard pressed to do anything that might damage relationships with his contacts or reflect negatively on his street cred. NOTE: Due to Heist’s extensive background in the shadows and from his time in prison, his character build is based on 450 Build Points, reflecting his 20 years of experience. QUOTES: Micky D (flabbergasted) - "You want me to build you WHAT!!??" Heist - "Yep. You scanned me right. Oh, and I need you to boost the HHO output on that welding rig I brought in last week, its runnin’ a bit lean." Micky D - "But....." Heist - "Oh, I think there might be a small leak in Spirit's water fuel cell so you need to look at that." Micky D - "But....." Heist - "Oh, and you might wanna look into picking up some more tungsten rods." Micky D - "But....!" Heist - "Oh, and I'm gonna need it all done by tomorrow." Micky D - "But Heist.....?!" Heist - "Oh, and....(grinning) who love's ya Mick?" Micky D (angry) - "Fraggit all Heist! (under his breath) You ain't payin' enough for me to be that good of a chummer. (grumbles)" Lt. Dixon (glaring) - "You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that supposed Novatech Scientist Extraction that happened last week……would ya?" Heist (innocently lighting a cigarette) - "Now, Dwayne. I already did my time. You know that. I know that. I'm just a law-abiding used car salesman now. No adventure. No excitement. I pay my taxes. I take care of my customers. I keep my nose clean. Ask anyone here and they'll say the same." Heist (grimly) - "Getting in won't be an issue. Getting out without gettin' my hoop fragged, that's a whole ‘nother story." Torque (confident) - "Leave that to me." Heist (grimmacing) - "Yeah, that's what you said last time Johnny." Shrike – “I’ll give you……say….two fifty.” Heist – “Bulldrek two fifty. Four.” Shrike – “FOUR?!?! That’s outrageous! …….Done.” Heist – “Always a pleasure doin’ biz with ya Shrike.” |
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Jul 1 2006, 04:09 PM
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#25
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Target Group: Members Posts: 27 Joined: 4-June 06 Member No.: 8,643 |
Keep in mind that with your body of 2 either one of these options will net you a penalty to agility and reaction. The armor jacket will actually get you a -2 penalty since it's Ballistic rating exceeds Bodyx2 by 4 points. Unfortunately, the only items in the SR4 Manual that wouldn't encumber you are armor clothing (4/0) or a leather jacket (2/2.) Love the character concept though. |
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